Model Boat Races Make Weekend Run

Racers will take over a lake at Markham Park this weekend to maneuver their model boats through a series of courses marked by buoys.

The event, sponsored by the Broward Model Boat Club, is one of two outings that the group holds at the park in Sunrise each year.

Participants were required to sign up several weeks in advance, so there are no last-minute entries. But spectators can watch the action for free, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

A special viewing section will be set up, and visitors are advised to bring blankets and lawn chairs. Hot dogs, hamburgers and sodas will be available for sale, said Rose Crowther of Fort Lauderdale, club secretary.

This past spring, the last time the club held its races at Markham, between 400 and 500 people came out to watch, Crowther said.

This weekend, some 150 model boats are expected to compete. The event will also serve as a Toys for Tots drive. Each participant and observer is asked to bring an unwrapped toy.

Racers will run courses marked by buoys, navigating their radio-controlled boats from the shore. At times, the competition can involve thrills and spills.

"A number of things can go wrong such as blown motors, running aground and crashing into other boats," Crowther said.

The vessels are divided into four classes -- mono, tunnel, hydro and offshore -- based on shape, motor size and design. The boats, which are powered by either gas or nitro fuel, range from 30 to 60 inches in length and can travel at speeds up to 80 miles per hour, said Fred Robson, club president.

Robson, a Fort Lauderdale resident, began racing around 30 years ago, after purchasing two radio-controlled boats with a friend at a flea market. The races at Markham are a good opportunity for newcomers to find out more about the hobby and the club, he said.

The group, founded in the late 1970s, has about 25 members and is affiliated with the National American Model Boat Association, Robson said.

The club meets once a month at private homes and businesses in Fort Lauderdale. Annual dues are $20 per person. Members are also required to pay $45 for a yearly membership in the national association, a fee that includes liability insurance, Robson said.

The club's members come from all professions and vary in age. "We have racers as young as 7 or 8 years old," Crowther said.

The involvement of Crowther, her husband, Gary, and their son, Jerry, 28, has led them to start a business where they sell and design model racing boats under the name Seaducer Boats.

Jerry Crowther, who has been racing since age 13, said he holds some 20 world records.

"I enjoy the competition and making new friends," said Jerry Crowther, the club's vice president.

The hobby can be addicting. It's not uncommon to see folks quickly jump from being spectators to racers, Robson said.

"We usually have a lot of people who come out to watch, and the next thing you know they're in it with us," he said.

IF YOU GO

What: Broward Model Boat Club races

When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday

Where: Markham Park, 16001 W. State Road 84, Sunrise

Cost: There is no charge to watch the races but visitors must pay the park's regular weekend gate fee of $1 per person. Children 5 and younger will be admitted free.

Information: Call the park at 954-389-2000. For information about the club, log on to www.namba3.net